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To avoid harming any civilians, the two sides didn't start the fight right away.
They moved to a wide, empty field and used a dispersal spell to drive away any bystanders.
Once the battlefield was set, it was time for the showdown between Artoria and Iskandar.
Weber exchanged a few last words with Iskandar, then used three Command Seals in a row—ordering him to win.
Alex, watching the whole thing, could only shake his head slightly.
Too young. That's not how you use Command Seals.
He opened the livestream, letting everyone in the group watch this clash of kings together.
Standing beside him, Irisviel looked a little anxious."Do you think Saber can win?" she asked.
Alex shook his head. "Hard to say. Stat-wise, Saber's way above Rider. But when it comes to Servant fights, Noble Phantasms matter way more than raw numbers."
Iskandar's stats: Strength B, Endurance A, Mana C, Agility D.
Artoria's former stats: Strength B, Endurance A, Mana A, Agility A.
But ever since Alex became her Master, her stats had risen again:Strength A, Endurance A, Mana A, Agility A.
On paper, Artoria completely outclassed Iskandar in everything except Endurance.
With that kind of gap—and her unmatched swordsmanship—Iskandar didn't stand a chance in a straight melee unless he used his Noble Phantasm.
And that Phantasm, Ionioi Hetairoi – Army of the King, was terrifying. Without a Reality-Marble-level counter, it was almost impossible to break.
In the group chat:
Misaka Mikoto: "So they're actually doing a fair duel?"
Yotsuya Miko: "Fair or not, isn't it safer if everyone just gangs up on him?"
Busujima Saeko: "The Knight King's sense of honor is truly admirable."
Tsunade: "Yeah, but personally, I'd go all in. Victory comes first. If the King of Knights has a problem with that, she can sit this one out."
Erza: "Agreed. There's a time for fair duels, but this is the Holy Grail War—winning is what matters."
Alex: "Relax. I'm letting Artoria duel him because it'll make a great show. Honestly, aside from that chaotic battle earlier, this Grail War's been pretty dull."
Misaka Mikoto: "Ah, so that's the reason. Nice one."
Yotsuya Miko: "Makes sense. With the Pope and the High Deity on our side, losing isn't even possible. This duel's just a grand finale for the War."
Alex laughed and stopped replying, focusing on the stream.
In the distance, Artoria and Iskandar had already clashed.
Artoria released the Wind King's Barrier from her sword, and Iskandar drew his own weapon—Via Expugnatio – The Distant Conquest.
Both wielded greatswords. Because of their difference in size, Artoria gripped hers with both hands, while Iskandar swung his one-handed.
That only made things worse for him. He was already weaker in raw strength.
Artoria's attacks came in fast and hard, her holy blade slashing again and again, her speed growing sharper until only afterimages remained.
Iskandar struggled to block her strikes. His Strength was lower by one rank, his Agility by three.
And when it came to swordsmanship—he wasn't a master.
He was a king, after all. He didn't conquer the world through personal skill, but through command and charisma.Like an emperor versus a general—the emperor doesn't need strength, but the general must have it in spades.
Not every king is a warrior like Artoria.
In less than a minute—barely a hundred exchanges—Artoria's intuition guided her to disarm him, sending his greatsword flying and slicing a wound across his chest.
Iskandar exhaled, smiling ruefully."I've lost this bout. Your skill surpasses mine. But from here on, I'll fight seriously—because I'm a Rider."
Artoria's expression hardened. "Come, then." She could feel it—he was about to unleash his Noble Phantasm.
"Gather, my comrades!" Iskandar bellowed. "Today, let us carve our legend into the greatest of myths!"
With that shout, he activated Ionioi Hetairoi – The Army of the King.
In an instant, Artoria was pulled into his Reality Marble.
He'd deliberately kept Alex and the others out—probably to stop them from interfering.
"Damn it, that old bastard," Alex cursed under his breath.
Still, the group-stream feature was too powerful—even a Reality Marble couldn't block it.
He switched the broadcast to auto-mode, handing control to the system.
The feed flickered—then the inside of Ionioi Hetairoi appeared on screen.
Not only that, the system even added background music: CoCo's Battle Hymn.
Misaka Mikoto: "Now this is how you stream—perfect angles, perfect BGM! I'm hyped already!"
Erza: "@Alex, your streaming skills could use some work."
Tsunade: "Seconded."
Yotsuya Miko: "Third."
Tokisaki Kurumi: "Fourth."
Shinobu Kocho: "Proof that comparison really does hurt."
Alex: "Can you guys not gang up on me?!"
He sighed helplessly. He'd never studied broadcasting—just getting the stream running was already a miracle.
Ignoring their teasing, he turned back to the fight.
Inside the Reality Marble, Iskandar commanded his vast army to charge Artoria.
Facing an endless tide of Heroic Spirits, Artoria didn't hesitate. She raised her holy sword high.
"Ex—calibur!"
The blade's true name rang out. Golden light erupted skyward, a radiant column connecting heaven and earth.
The explosion of mana whipped up roaring winds and blinding sand.
Alex zoomed the camera feed in; it felt like standing right there amid the storm.
When the sword came down, its light swallowed the entire army.
When the smoke cleared—Iskandar's soldiers were gone.
But the Reality Marble itself remained intact.
As long as Iskandar lived—as long as his mana held—the army could be summoned again.
Artoria clearly understood that. She couldn't afford a prolonged fight.
Without pause after releasing her Noble Phantasm, she lunged again, blade flashing toward Iskandar.
He might be slow—but he was Rider.
He summoned his divine oxen, Gordius Wheel, lightning sparking from their hooves. The moment he mounted, his speed shot past hers.
Riding the chariot, Iskandar charged again and again. Artoria could only parry and defend.
The tide had turned.
If the soldiers re-materialized, Artoria would have no chance.
In the chat:
Yotsuya Miko: "Oh no… she's in trouble!"
Misaka Mikoto: "That 'Army of the King' skill is totally broken!"
Busujima Saeko: "In the end… she's still at a disadvantage."
Erza: "Don't jump to conclusions. The closer a fight gets to the end, the more likely something unexpected happens."
Tsunade: "Exactly. People pushed to their limits often unleash power beyond reason."
Shinobu Kocho: "Saber's mana is still high. Could she fire off another blast?"
Tokisaki Kurumi: "I'd say the odds are good."
"..."
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